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Birds of the Philippines

Photos and videos of wild birds found in the Philippines. We travel all over the Philippines to document and take pictures of birds. Our goal is to make this site a resource of information and images about wild birds of the Philippines.

  1. Birds of the Philippines
  2. Gulls and Terns

Common Tern

COMMON TERN
Sterna hirundo
Family Sternidae

L 340 mm (13 1/2")
uncommon, migrant

Bird # 297 - January 2013

According to the Kennedy guide, this bird is found "along coast in bays and estuaries, mud and coral flats as well as inland bodies of water". It is actually uncommon, even if it is called "Common". It is bigger and has a longer and thinner bill than the more common Whiskered Tern. The head is all black when in breeding plumage. It also has a more deeply forked tail than Whiskered Tern and black legs.

**note: number is out of sequence for this bird!
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COMMON TERN on the right, Whiskered Tern on the left
<i>Sterna hirundo</i>
Balanga, Bataan
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COMMON TERN on the right, Whiskered Tern on the left Sterna hirundo Balanga, Bataan

common ternsterna hirundobirdbalangabataan

  • COMMON TERN, non breeding plumage
<i>Sterna hirundo</i>
  • COMMON TERN, non breeding plumage
<i>Sterna hirundo</i>
  • COMMON TERN, non breeding plumage
<i>Sterna hirundo</i>
  • COMMON TERN 
<i>Sterna hirundo</i>
Balanga, Bataan
  • COMMON TERN on the right, Whiskered Tern on the left
<i>Sterna hirundo</i>
Balanga, Bataan
  • COMMON TERN, non breeding plumage
<i>Sterna hirundo</i>
Baranggay Tibsok, San Enrique, Negros Occidental
  • COMMON TERN, non breeding plumage
<i>Sterna hirundo</i>
Baranggay Tibsok, San Enrique, Negros Occidental
  • COMMON TERN, non breeding plumage
<i>Sterna hirundo</i>
Baranggay Tibsok, San Enrique, Negros Occidental
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